Stop staring and start sewing!

Post-Christmas blahs (how I love them!)

Well last week everything was scramble scramble and this week we're all sigh, ho-hum.  I'm enjoying this week more.  We all ran (literally) to get some family photos on the 23rd in order to get them printed and given to my parents on the 24th.  This was the best of the bunch and Skate decided it was his chance to show his comedic skills (grrrrr).  Boys.  At least Asher looks normal (he pulled that same funny boy crap when he was 4 so I'm not shocked this time).  So this is the official family photo for 2010.

On Christmas morning we had our traditional abelskivers (one of Joey's family recipes) for breakfast and, as an added bonus, Stumptown coffee (Olivia's gift to me, perfect!). The first batch is always a little dark as we work on adjusting the temperature but after this they were all a lovely golden color (and so delicious).  I think we'll actually do a repeat on New Years morning since one of my kids only managed to get two of them before the were all snapped up by the others (and me!).  And I really need to get a second pan so I can keep up with everyone.

We had a panic on Christmas Eve as Joey realized we had not purchased any ricotta for the Christmas Day lasagne we were making (and we were feeding 22 people!).  He ran to every grocery store in town and of course they were all closed.  But, being ever resourceful, he found a recipe/science project for home made ricotta online and a gallon of milk at a nearby Circle K.  So here he is, so proud of his bowl of ricotta (he saved the day!).  It was so delicious (and economical) that I don't think we'll ever buy ricotta again.

So I'm going back to relaxing here but I actually have had some sewing time (which is relaxing when you're not sewing something that has to be finished and shipped for Christmas that day). 

I hope everyone is having a great week and just spending some time with the remote control in one hand and a slice of rum cake in the other.  2010 is almost over (and I'm pretty glad to have it behind me, it's been a bit of a stinker)!

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I've had a few requests for the ricotta recipe so here it is.  Joey used whole milk and lemon juice and you can sprinkle just a bit of salt on it when it's done.  Let me know how you like it!!

2010, A year of sewing in review

We have a winner!  The winner of Little Girls, Big Style and the pattern/fabric goodies is Christy Dixon.  Congratulations Christy!! 

Last year I created a picture mosaic over at Big Huge Labs so I could see with my own eyes that I had indeed been crafty throughout the year.  I entered 2010 with the goal to, once again, create at least one thing per month.  Some months I made a few more things so I just picked my favorite thing to represent that month.  In August I did no sewing but managed to finish creating my first 4 patterns so I'll give myself credit for that anyway!

Here's what I did this year!  I'm happy to see I was well rounded and made stuff for myself, my home, my kids, and my friends.  Not bad!

1. sprucing up a little corner, 2. My Edith Twirl Skirt with Tula Pink's Plume, 3. Simplicity 3775, 4. quiltfront, 5. my favorite a-line skirt, 6. Sew Serendipity Monique Dress, 7. basted!, 8. Edith pattern cover, 9. I found my happy place, 10. New Castle Peeps Blouse (simplicity 4022), 11. Gift for a beautiful baby boy, 12. tinytuffet

 

Here is my mosaic from last year.

1. oh cherry oh pouch, 2. child's apron, 3. My new office, 4. Butterick 5439, 5. My new bag (I love it!), 6. New skirt for summer!, 7. swing5, 8. skirt re-fashion after, 9. evie, 10. DSC_0052, 11. new valance, 12. My new little table runner

I've started a flickr group for you to share your own sewing year in review.  Just go to the Big Huge Labs site's Mosaic Maker and make 3 columns and 4 rows.  Chose a picture for each month and the site will do the rest!  If you don't have 12 things just make a smaller mosaic and make a goal to have something crafty to show for every month of 2011!!

Oh, and I just whipped up a pillow case for my great nephew in Alaska in no time flat using my Perfect Pillow Case tutorial in the left sidebar.  I finished it and got it wrapped packed and on the porch for mail pick up in under 1/2 hour this morning!  If you're running out of time (and yes, you're running out of time!) that's a super quick and easy project.  Check it out and keep on sewing!!

Gift giving time! Here, you open yours first!

Okay, every year I try to give all my wonderful, witty, and faithful blog readers a Christmas gift and I didn't want to fail you this year.  In 2007 it was a scrumptious cookie recipe passed down from my husbands Granny (who was herself, wonderful and witty).  If you haven't tried it you must.  Then come back and thank me.  In 2008 it was my Apron in an Hour tutorial, which has proven to be very popular amongst people who need something cute and in a hurry.  I must warn you if you deviate from the instructions, i.e. add a pocket, or ruffles, etc. it will no longer be an apron "in an hour" so don't complain to me (but be sure to revel in your own crafty-ness for being willing to step out of the box and shake it up a bit).  Also, if you've made one please share the pictures here.  I'd love to see it!  Then last year I showed you how to whip up a voile scarf in no time flat (I'm still loving mine and they are surprisingly warm).  Voile is becoming more and more popular (and available) so you can make a variety of these all winter long now.

This years gift is a sweet little pin cushion pattern based on the pin cushion I made to exchange at the Phoenix Modern Quilt Guild's lunch this past weekend.  I had such a hard time parting with it I'm going to make an identical one for myself.  I designed a cute tutorial (pattern pieces included) for you to download and save (or you can keep coming back here because it's going on my sidebar permanently).  It only takes small scraps (the biggest one being the 1" x 16" ruffle piece) and goes together in less time than it takes to watch Pride and Prejudice (the newer version of course).  So print it out, pop in a movie, and get sewing (and share the picture in my flickr group please!).

 

Here is my favorite picture from the tutorial.  It actually looks like the pin cushion doesn't it?  Yay (I meant to do that)!

Click on this link to download your free pattern in pdf format. Print it out and start sewing!  And have a very Merry Christmas!

Little Girls, Big Style Book Blog Tour (My turn!)

Okay, so I'm Mary's slow friend.  I knew she was up to something but I could not, for the life of me, guess what.  Well finally, some time early this year, Mary put me out of my misery and spilled the beans that she was finishing up a book and it was close to being done. 

Once I saw the picture on the cover I figured if the inside was even half as wonderful as the outside I was going to love this book.  Boy was I right!  Little Girls, Big Style is stuffed with beautiful pictures, sweet, detailed sketches, and all the instructions and photos you would need to be able to make the 23 projects in this book.  Mary covers all the bases here without bogging it down with unneccesarry fluff. 

Hate ruffles?  This book is for you!   Love ruffles?  This book is for you too!  You can make your projects simple or over the top froufy depending on what you like and who (whom?) you're sewing for.  If you're a beginner you'll love the clear photographs of simple skills like shirring, gathering, and inserting elastic.  For the more experienced sewist you can skip those parts (but I thnk it's always good to take a look) and move straight into creating a beautiful garment.

Here's the "pretty enough for a coffee table" cover....

Here is a small sampling of the gorgeous photos inside the book.

Here's a shot I got of Mary signing her book at Quilt Market this past October.  The line was a mile long and everyone had a big smile on their face when the got a peak inside their new, cute book.  Well done Mary!!

To celebrate the release of Mary's first book the nice folks at Stash Publishing (follow the link to see all the other great books they have) are giving away a free copy for each blog on the blog tour.  The winner will recieve their copy straight from Stash.  And since today is also Sew Mama Sew's December Give Away Day (follow that link for give aways from hundreds of blogs!  Seriously!) I thought I would sweeten the deal by throwing in something for those of you who have little boys to sew for (the girls are covered quite adequately with all the cuteness in the book).  Here is one of my Shopgirl (and boy too!) apron patterns and all the fabric needed to re-create the boys apron on the front.

Just leave a comment and I will draw a winner on Friday!  And don't forget to visit all the other blogs on the Little Girls, Big Style Book Blog Tour listed below!  Good luck!

Oh and be sure to stop by my store Fabritopia, where Kate Spain's 12 Days of Christmas is now only 5.00 a yard!

12/6 The Domestic Diva
12/7 Blue Moon River
12/8 Juicy Bits
12/9 Sew Take a Hike
12/10 Boutique Cafe
12/11 I Heart Linen
12/12 Sew, Mama, Sew!
12/14 True Up
12/15 Bari J.

Friends, Fabric, and Food (what could be better I ask?)

Yesterday was the First Annual Holiday Gift Exchange of the Phoenix Modern Quilt Guild (or as we like to say: FAHGEPMQG) and I had so much fun (I think everyone did)!  We ate at the new Old Spaghetti Factory (yes, I said new Old and it's really not an oxymoron) and as you can see it was a lovely setting.  10 of us were able to make it and we had a great time meeing each other (quite a few new gals, yay!) and exchanging pin cushions.  Here are Jamie, Tiffany, Carrie, Kerri, B.J., Roslyn, Michelle, Alissa, and Liana (and me behind the camera!).

Here are all of our pin cushions together (see if you can guess which one I made!).  They were all so cute and different and it was really neat to see everyone's personality in their pin cushion.

Here are Michelle and Tiffany (who exchanged gifts) showing their new pin cushions.  It was seriously fun!

Okay, finally....the winner of the final Quilt Market give away (yes, Quilt Market was like, 3 years ago.  Or at least it feels that way) is Vicki K.  Yay for Vicki!  I will be shipping all the winnings out this week.  Usually I do all my Quilt Market posts in one week and then ship so I'm sorry for making everyone wait. 

This week is looking to be very busy in a fun, crafty sort of way.  I'm taking part in a very special blog tour tomorrow as well as Sew Mama Sew's December give away.  And while I know you are all so very tired of me giving stuff away, I promise this will be the last thing until the new year.  Oh wait!  I have something else coming this week...but it's for everyone so maybe that doesn't count?  Anyway, I hope you're having a wonderful December.  I'm only quasi-stressed here which isn't too bad actually. 

Keep on sewing (I mean it!  Christmas is coming!  Seriously!)!

Last Quilt Market Post and give away (finally!)

Sorry for being gone so long!  I got super busy with Thanksgiving and sick kids and then started painting walls.  I want to finish my Quilt Market posts so I can show you what I've been up to!

I wanted to share more pictures of Bari's booth because it was so darn cute and I had a lot of fun helping her decorate it.  She had such great ideas for it and once it all came together it was darling.  Here she is standing near the sign announcing her new book Inspired to Sew (coming next month!)

This chair was the highlight of her booth!

 

Here's a closer look of her signature collage work.  Butterflies!

Here are some more folks oohing and aahing (lots of that going on in this booth).

Here is a display of Michael Miller's inspiration for their new Tammis O'Keefe collection.  So wonderfully retro and perfectly hip.

Just cute stuff!

I love the softies in the Echino booth!

Even more cute stuff!

Sweetwater booth.

Anna Maria Horners's Innocent Crush booth.  Anna's mom was along for the adventure and it was a treat to chat with her.

Cindy Taylor Oates.  She lives here in the Phoenix area so I talked here into (well asked nicely...) coming to visit our Phoenix Modern Quilt Guild some time next year.

Pat Bravo's booths were simple, bright and pretty.

I loved this artwork in the Riley Blake booth.  So cute!!

More Riley Blake cuteness!

Moda had another gorgeous booth and I always love their style.

It was a joy to meet Kate Spain for real!!  She is so sweet and fun and her booth was a treat for the eyes!

The last give away goes to Allison Aller (ironically one of the creators of a quilt featured in that post, yay!).  This give away is chock full of sewing goodness!  3 pattern, including one of the new ones from Bari J., a key fob, a big tote bag from the folks at American Patchwork and Quilting and... (you're going to love this one) Amy Butler's new Style Stitches book...

...signed just for you!  Just leave a comment telling me how many Christmas items you have sewn so far (zero here!).

And I'll end my market posts the way I began...with a picture of Ty Pennington.  Only this one is taken from behind (wink, wink).  You're welcome!